WINTER HAVEN, FLA. — Day three of the Rebel Spring Games for the Concordia University Chicago (CUC) softball team came with two hard fought battles. The Cougars did lose in both of their games on the day, however, both were energized until the very end. First, against Allegheny College, they fell 7-6 after eight innings of action. Lastly, they lost to Russell Sage College with a score of 5-3.
Game One vs. Allegheny College
Inside the Box Score:
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Becky Pieroni (Montgomery, Ill.) led the offense with a staggering 4-for-5 outing with her first home run of the season, a double, one run scored, and three RBIs
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Completing all eight innings, Ashley Shroll (Tampa, Fla.) threw her second complete game of the season with nine strikeouts
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Following right behind Pieroni in average was Nikita Robbins (Lafayette, Ind.), who went 3-for-4 with one RBI and one run scored
The action would not start in this game until the second inning came around. The Gators of Allegheny College would be the first to strike as they scored off of a single and a sacrifice fly to go up 2-0. However, in the bottom of the second, the Cougars would respond. Shroll sent a ball through the left side to score Annabella Archuletta (Pueblo, Colo.) for the first Cougar run of the game. Robbins, on the first pitch, sent a shot up the middle to then score Melisa Hadzic (Westchester, Ill.) and tie it up 2-2. After a quick Gator pitching change, the momentum continued as Pieroni hit a double to the wall to score Robbins and Haley Gulsby (Englewood, Fla.). The score at the end of the second with then 4-2 in the Cougars favor.
Allegheny would then strike back in the top of the third as they scored two more runs off of singles. With the score tied at four apiece, it would stay that way until the top of the fourth when the Gators stole home to go up 5-4. Starting off the bottom of the fifth, Pieroni sent her first long ball of the season with a solo shot to tie the game up 5-5. After a couple of Shroll strikeouts and aid from the defense, this game moved into extra innings, still tied at five apiece.
In the top of the eighth, Allegheny scored two runs after a base hit and had the lead 7-5. In a last ditch effort, Hadzic was able to score Hailey Howard (Machesney Park, Ill.) to make it a 7-6 ball game. However, this would be the final score as the Cougars fell in this match.
Game Two vs. Russell Sage College
Inside the Box Score:
- Again leading the offense, Pieroni and Robbins both went 2-for-4
- This was a full pitching staff effort as all three Cougar pitchers came into the game
To start off game two, the Gators of Russell Sage jumped off to an early lead as they went up 1-0 in the bottom of the first. Throughout this game, the Gators would end up with a lead of 5-0 with no answer from the Cougars offensively. However, in the top of the fifth they found their momentum. Robbins was able to hit a double that scored Gina Westphal (Elmhurst, Ill.) and created enough chaos for Pieroni to cross off of a bad throw. Archuletta then produced a sacrifice fly to score Robbins and cut the lead down significantly to 5-3. However, it would not be enough as the Gators defeated the Cougars with a final score of 5-3.
The Cougars have one final day in the Rebel Spring Games on Friday at 2:00 p.m. (EST) and 4:30 p.m. (EST). They will first take on SUNY New Paltz and then Geneva College (Pa.) right after. Coverage for all of our sports can be found at cucougars.com/coverage.
